Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the number of young people remaining in (a) further and (b) higher education.

Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have been supporting all colleges and post-16 learning providers to deliver high-quality education and training to their students, including apprentices. Providers have worked flexibly and innovatively to adapt to the situation to engage students, delivering both remote and face-to-face learning.

Latest figures show that the number of young people who were Not in Education or Training fell from 2019 to 2020.

Age 16: 4.7% (5.0% in 2019) -0.3pp

Age 17: 3.6% (8.1% in 2019) -4.6pp

Age 18: 27.3% (31.9% in 2019) -4.6pp

These figures relate directly to participation and this annual change provides the best way to evaluate those remaining in or starting further education.

It is hard to predict the longer-term impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the higher education (HE) sector. We are working extremely closely with providers, the Office for Students and across government to ensure that the interests of current and future students are protected. We will ensure that students, the wider public, and an international audience understand that the HE sector remains “open for business” and that it is committed to maintaining its world class status.